tekkmortal
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Protein discovery could help prevent premature birth
July 28, 2004
BY LINDSEY TANNER
Scientists have taken a big step toward developing an earlier, safer and simple test that could help prevent perhaps 175,000 premature births in the United States each year.
Researchers say they have identified certain proteins in the blood that can indicate whether a pregnant woman has a uterine infection that can lead to premature birth. They hope the discovery will lead to development of a diagnostic blood test that would allow doctors to treat infected women with antibiotics earlier, in time to prevent premature delivery.
''This is potentially very important,'' said Dr. Robert Goldenberg, an obstetrics/gynecology professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who was not involved in the study.
Other doctors noted that the study involved only 33 women, and said further research is needed to confirm that the proteins are a universal indicator of the infections.
Uterine infections typically arise from overgrowth of bacteria that live in the vagina. They frequently cause no symptoms until the mother goes into labor prematurely.
An invasive and sometimes risky test called amniocentesis can confirm the infection during labor, but treatment with antibiotics at that point is typically too late to prevent premature delivery.
The study appears in today's Journal of the American Medical Association. AP
July 28, 2004
BY LINDSEY TANNER
Scientists have taken a big step toward developing an earlier, safer and simple test that could help prevent perhaps 175,000 premature births in the United States each year.
Researchers say they have identified certain proteins in the blood that can indicate whether a pregnant woman has a uterine infection that can lead to premature birth. They hope the discovery will lead to development of a diagnostic blood test that would allow doctors to treat infected women with antibiotics earlier, in time to prevent premature delivery.
''This is potentially very important,'' said Dr. Robert Goldenberg, an obstetrics/gynecology professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who was not involved in the study.
Other doctors noted that the study involved only 33 women, and said further research is needed to confirm that the proteins are a universal indicator of the infections.
Uterine infections typically arise from overgrowth of bacteria that live in the vagina. They frequently cause no symptoms until the mother goes into labor prematurely.
An invasive and sometimes risky test called amniocentesis can confirm the infection during labor, but treatment with antibiotics at that point is typically too late to prevent premature delivery.
The study appears in today's Journal of the American Medical Association. AP
Funny you, Vampy! 
But seriously...that's great news and hope for pregnant women who are at risk for premature labour and births.